How to Avoid a Chimney Fire

 

By Marge Padgitt

Chimney fires occur during cold weather months when people use their fireplace or wood-burning stove.  A chimney fire occurs when accumulated creosote in a flue or smoke chamber ignites from a spark.

All wood creates creosote - even dry hardwoods- so it is imperative that flues serving fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, or fireplace inserts are swept regularly to remove this flammable substance. The NFPA recommends sweeping once per year for fireplaces, and at least twice during the season for heating appliances (wood stoves or inserts). A house fire can occur if the fire in the chimney escapes the flue liner or if burning embers fly out of the top of the chimney onto the roof. (Asphalt roofs can catch fire as well as wood shingle roofs). 

Most chimney fires are of short duration and go unnoticed by the homeowner - with damage usually found later during an inspection by a chimney sweep. 

 Signs of a chimney fire:

•  Loud whooshing or roaring or freight train like sound
•  Flames shooting out the top of the chimney
•  Red glowing stove pipe
•  Backup of smoke into the house
• Sudden poor draft

It is a good idea to keep a chimney fire extinguisher near your fireplace or wood stove and use it if you notice a chimney fire, then get out of the house and call the fire department immediately. Fire can spread to nearby combustibles and cause a house fire. Be sure to keep an eye out for smoke smell or flames even after the fire department is gone because interior wood framing could smolder for hours afterwards and ignite again if it gets enough oxygen. 

After the fire: Call your local professional chimney sweep to have a thorough inspection and any needed repairs completed before using the appliance again. Most chimneys are severely damaged on the interior during a chimney fire and should not be used until inspected by a qualified professional. Any breaks or blown out sections in flue tiles or warped or buckled seams in steel liners or chimneys can be a fire and Carbon Monoxide hazard.

For more information about Carbon Monoxide, visit COHeadquarters.com.

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The Chimney Lady, Marge Padgitt, is a veteran chimney professional, trainer, and author. She is the co-owner of HearthMasters chimney and fireplace service in Kansas City, Missouri. Contact her at office@chimkc.com.

What is a Flue Liner and Why do You Need One?

Flue liners are an important part of any furnace, water heater, boiler, or fireplace system. Liners have been required by code since 1927, but have been in use since the 1870’s. In a nutshell, the purpose of a flue liner is to keep toxic flue gasses such as Carbon Monoxide, other aldehydes, and tar vapors inside the flue and allow them to exit the house. It was found early on that with masonry chimneys, the mortar joints tend to deteriorate over time and develop cracks and gaps that allow gasses to leak through them. So, liners were invented. Vitreous clay tile flue liners were created to line the interior chimney so that flue gasses could not escape the flue. This is extremely important for the health and safety of the occupants of a home.

However, over time, rainwater, moisture, and acidic flue gasses eat away at mortar joints between the liner sections. Clay tile flue liners are made in two-foot sections and installed ahead of the exterior masonry chase. They have a bed of mortar between each section. When these mortar joints erode, they create gaps between the liner sections – and we are back to square one with toxic gasses leaking into the house. 

A liner has been removed and one remains

When rehabbing a house, a contractor may find that there is no liner installed in a masonry chimney. This is more common in older homes with utility flues serving heating appliances and water heaters, but occasionally is found with fireplaces as well. It is extremely common, however, to find a flue liner with missing mortar joints. This can be remedied in most cases with a method using a ceramic joint filler, which is applied using a heavy-duty vibrating bell sponge while pouring the mix from above the flue liner. It involves special equipment and trained professionals to do the job. In cases with large gaps between liners this method cannot be used, and relining is necessary.

A second common issue with flue liners is incorrect sizing. If a liner is not correctly sized to the appliance, smoking or backup of toxic gasses can result. This often occurs when a high efficiency furnace is installed, leaving a water heater to vent on its own, which it cannot do in an oversized flue. A liner for the water heater will be necessary unless a replacement water heater that vents out the side is used instead. An incorrectly sized flue liner serving a fireplace will cause backup of smoke and toxic gasses into the home.

Stainless steel liner with a single flue tile on top

The third common issue with clay tile flue liners is damage from a chimney fire. As fireplace inspectors we see this on a daily basis, and in most instances, the homeowner had no idea that they had a chimney fire unless they caught it at the time, or a neighbor knocked on their door after they saw flames shooting out of the chimney. Most chimney fires are of short duration because as flammable creosote burns it expands to ten times its size and snuffs out the fire. But even a short duration chimney fire can cause a lot of damage to flue liners, usually leaving vertical and sometimes horizontal breaks behind. These breaks open to as much as ¾” when the appliance is used, once again allowing gasses to escape. The only solution is to reline the flue. Fortunately, homeowner’s insurance covers chimney fire damage since it is considered a “hostile” fire. If a home was purchased within 12 months prior to finding the damage the new owner may have recourse with the seller, who can file a claim on their insurance. Chimney repair can be expensive, and the last thing a new homeowner wants is a huge un-budgeted-for expense after a home is purchased. This is why an inspection of all flues in a home is so important prior to purchase. 99% of Home inspectors do not inspect chimneys, only a chimney sweep with the proper equipment can, and should, do a chimney inspection using a chimney camera system. If timing does not allow for an inspection, figure in extra cost in your rehab estimate based on the size of the chimney.

Clay tile flue liners being installed as masonry is built up

Relining involves removal of the cement cap and extraction of the clay tile flue liner, installation of a replacement stainless steel liner with insulation, and rebuilding the cement cap. Other demolition such as removal of a damper casing, firebrick, or a wall may be necessary. Smoke chambers are often in poor condition and need to be parge coated with insulating mortar.  It is important to use a liner with the same I.D. dimensions as the previous liner, or in some cases, larger, and the only way to do that is to take the old liner out first. In rare cases, the flue is oversized so installation of a new liner may be possible without extracting the old liner.

Codes must be followed with flue liners – Chapters 10 and 18 in the International Residential Code cover most of this information, and the National Fire Protection 211 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel Appliances also applies since it is the industry standard. We also follow the NFPA 54 National Fuel Gas Code.

A stainless steel flue liner being prepped

 

 

 

A professional chimney contractor should do this type of work since they are familiar with the codes and standards and have the equipment and expertise to do the job. In the greater Kansas City area and other jurisdictions across the U.S., a Class DM Master Mechanical (HVAC) Contractor License is needed in order to reline flues, and a permit is required for the work, with an inspection by the building codes inspector.

 

The cost to reline a flue can very greatly and is determined by the type, size, and length of liner needed and difficulty level of the job.

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Marge Padgitt is a 35-year chimney industry veteran. She trains professional chimney technicians across the U.S. and is the author of The Chimney and Hearth Pro’s Resource Book, and Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking, along with many training DVDS and presentations. Contact her at hearthmastersboss@gmail.com, 816-461-3665, or www.chimkc.com.

Avoidable Chimney Fires Account for Loss of Life and Property

Chimney fires account for over 50,000 home structure fires annually.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that in 2011, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 53,600 reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated losses of 400 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries, and $893 million in direct property damage. These fires accounted for 14 percent of all reported home fires.

In 2013, one home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds. (NFPA)

Note that these statistics are for structural fires only, and do not include chimney fires that are contained to the chimney. The cost for damages to chimneys is unknown but estimated to be high.

The leading factor contributing to home heating fires was a failure to clean creosote from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys. (NFPA) All chimney fires can be prevented by having  regular sweeping and maintenance performed by a professional chimney sweep, who will remove flammable creosote and inspect the chimney. The NFPA suggests annual inspection and sweeping as necessary for open wood-burning fireplaces, and bi-annual sweeping for wood stoves and wood-burning fireplace inserts.

The United States Fire Administration estimates that wood stoves cause over 4,000 residential fires every year.

Confined fires, those fires confined to chimneys, flues or flue burners, accounted for 87 percent of residential building heating fires. (USFA)

Thirty percent of the non-confined residential building heating fires occurred because the heat source was too close to combustibles. (USFA)

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 150 people die on average per year from carbon monoxide poisoning, related to the use of combustion appliances, including wood stoves, in the home.

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Marge Padgitt is a veteran chimney technician and owner of HearthMasters, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. Contact her at www.chimkc.com.

Things To Do and Not To Do

People have short attention spans and little time these days so here is a quick list of things to do and not to do regarding chimneys and heating appliances to keep you safe and warm this winter:

What Not to Do: 

• Don't burn Hedge in a fireplace or woodstove. It burns too hot and is dangerous!
• Don't burn dry soft pine as your main fuel. It burns too hot and fast. Most importantly, don't burn a Christmas tree or a house fire could result!
• Don't expect a Chimney Sweeping Log to clean out creosote from the chimney or do an inspection. In fact, these logs have been known to cause chimney fires!
• Don't leave stockings hanging on the mantel while a fire is in the fireplace!
• Don't put wrapping paper in the fireplace - it creates toxic fumes!

Things to Do: 

• Do shut down the air supply and get out of the house and call 911 if you have a chimney fire! You may think the fire is out but it might not be completely out, or wood may be smoldering on the exterior of the chimney in your attic. 
• Do burn only dry seasoned cordwood
• Do have fireplaces and wood-burning stoves serviced and swept in the SPRING when chimney sweeps are not so busy and you can get a better price!
• Do use only a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep
• Do have your furnace/boiler/water heater flue inspected annually to check for problems that could lead to CO leakage into the house!
• Do have Direct-Vent gas fireplaces and inserts serviced and tuned-up annually by a professional to assure proper operation. Call after the season is over in the SPRING!

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Marge Padgitt is the CEO of HearthMasters, Inc. and HearthMasters Education in Kansas City, Missouri. www.hearthmasters.net. 

Chimney Safety Warning During Arctic Blast

The Midwest Chimney Safety Council warns homeowners to safely operate wood and gas heating appliances during periods of bitter cold in order to avoid fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

December 29, 2017
Kansas City, Missouri

The National Fire Protection Association statistics indicate that there are 245,000 house fires annually caused by heating equipment such as wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. The Midwest Chimney Safety Council believes that this number is only a fraction of the actual statistics based on findings by chimney sweeps who service chimneys.

The NFPA states that there are 72,000 deaths caused by Carbon Monoxide exposure annually.  

During periods of very cold weather more accidental fires and CO poisoning occur. The Midwest Chimney Safety Council recommends that homeowners take measures to assure the safety of their family by following these recommended guidelines:

·      

C.Scott Dorret - Fotolia.com

Do not use an open fireplace for heating purposes. Fireplaces are decorative appliances to be used for ambience only. Over use of an open fireplace can cause hidden combustibles in the walls or framing around the fireplace to ignite and cause a house fire. This applies to manufactured fireplaces and masonry fireplaces.

•      Do not leave a wood-burning stove or fireplace unattended.
•      Do not burn hedge, dry pine, or a Christmas tree in a fireplace or stove. These woods burn very hot and fast, and can cause a chimney fire.
•      Do not burn treated wood or colored paper in a fireplace or stove. These items create toxic fumes which can cause illness or death.
•      Don’t burn anything other than dry cordwood or pallet wood in a fireplace or stove.
•      Have a fireplace inspected and swept annually by a professional CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. Sweeping removes flammable creosote from the smoke chamber and flue liner. Have a wood-burning stove or insert swept twice per year.
•      Keep the accumulation of flammable creosote down by using a product like Anti-Creosote Spray each time a fire is burned.
•      Place ashes in an ash bucket and take outside to cool off with the lid on the bucket on a non-combustible surface before disposing of them or putting them in the garden. Ashes and embers can smolder for up to two weeks.
•      Have furnace, boiler, or water heater flues inspected annually by a professional chimney sweep to assure that the flue is not clogged by nests or debris, is sized correctly, and does not have cracks or voids which can cause Carbon Monoxide backup into the home. Even low levels of CO not detectable by a CO detector can cause illness and permanent brain damage.
•      Do not ignore a CO detector alarm- CO is colorless, odorless, and tasteless so there is no way a human can detect CO.
•      Be sure to install new batteries and assure proper operation of smoke detectors. Install at least one smoke detector on each level of the house, including in the attic near the chimney.
•      In case of a chimney fire or CO alarm, get out of the house and call the fire department immediately.

The Midwest Chimney Safety Council is a 13-state regional association which provides educational classes and workshops to chimney and hearth industry professionals and the public.  

Contact Marge Padgitt at mcsc@mcsc-net.org or 816-461-3665 or contact one of our members listed on the website for more information. 

Your house might be making you sick

As people close up their homes for winter, sealing every open gap, and installing thermal windows and insulation, they may be doing more than making their home energy efficient. They might be doing things that can make their family ill. 

A smoking fireplace is a sign of  negative house pressure

Houses need at least six air exchanges per day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  These air exchanges are necessary in order to move out tobacco smoke, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Radon, and a host of other chemicals such as Formaldehyde that off-gas from furniture, carpet and woodwork.  These air exchanges bring in fresh air for the occupants to breathe. 

Exacerbating the problem are appliances that take air out of the house such as attic fans, range hoods, bathroom fans, clothes dryers, and central vacuums. If the house is tightly constructed replacement air needs to be introduced somehow. 

Appliances such as furnaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves need air for combustion, and they take house air for this purpose.  Open fireplaces are only -10 - +10% efficient, and use heated air from the home, causing the furnace to work harder.  Even if an outside air source is supplied to a fireplace in an attempt to use less house air, this is often inadequate, and is arguably not the best solution.  Cold air dumped on a hot fire cools it down, causes it to burn inefficiently, and to produce more CO.

High efficiency fireplace by Regency

High-efficiency gas fireplace inserts are approximately 75% + efficient and use no indoor air for combustion. Wood-burning fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves are generally 70%+ efficient and use much less house air for combustion than traditional open fireplaces do. These are good choices whether a home has inadequate air for combustion or not. Other methods to improve fireplace efficiency include installation of glass doors, use of a grate heater, and improvement in design.  A Rumford or Prior Fire style fireplace is a better choice than a standard style fireplace because it uses less air and is more efficient. Efficient fireplaces or inserts use less wood than standard fireplaces to produce the same amount of heat, so an added benefit is lower energy cost. 

Another problem that can occur in larger homes or homes that are tightly constructed is unbalanced house pressure.  According to Dr. David Penney, professor of Physiology and Adjunct Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health and Wayne State University, and creator of COHeatquarters.com, Carbon Monoxide (CO) is the most commonly encountered and pervasive poison in our environment. Dr. Penney believes that long term exposure to low levels of CO (even those that don’t register on a CO alarm) are capable of producing  many debilitating residual effects on the human body. This is called chronic CO poisoning, or CO Poisoning Syndrome.

Symptoms of negative house pressure are moisture condensation on cold surfaces, smoking fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, difficulty lighting a fire in a fireplace, CO backup from gas and wood appliances, back-drafting of appliances (and CO), CO detector alarms go off frequently, and cold air infiltration through leaks.  Children and pets may be more affected than adults. If a person feels ill when at home, but better when outside the home, this is an indication that something is wrong with the house.

Health effects associated with CO Poisoning Syndrome are unexplained flu-like symptoms, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, confusion, joint pain, muscle pain, chronic fatigue, vertigo, numbness, eye and nose irritation, fainting, nausea, and in more serious cases, inability to wake up, asthma, cancer, irreversible brain damage, or even death. Other symptoms include cognitive and memory impairments, mood changes, depression, sensory and motor disorders, and in more serious cases, seizures, balance problems, and tremors. These symptoms can continue for weeks, months, or years after termination of CO exposure, so it is imperative to assure good indoor air quality at all times at work and at home.

Strategies to improve air quality:

1.      Install portable air cleaners

2.      Maintain humidifiers and dehumidifiers and empty water trays

3.      Replace air filters on schedule

4.      Turn on whole house fans or bathroom and kitchen fans with doors or windows open occasionally in spring and summer (not during cold weather)

5.      Install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) to the furnace (assists the furnace only)

6.      Install a whole-house ventilator to bring in make-up air for appliances and fresh air to breathe

7.      Install EPA Certified high-efficiency gas or wood-burning inserts in fireplaces

8.      Be sure clothes dryers are properly vented outdoors and vents are cleaned twice per year

9.      Use a vented gas space heater or stove rather than an un-vented gas appliance

10.  Never use kerosene heaters inside the house

11.  Have a trained licensed HVAC contractor clean and tune-up furnaces annually

12.  Have a professional CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep inspect and clean furnace, fireplace, and wood stove flues annually and check for negative house pressure

13.  Have an energy specialist do a blower door test on the home, which will indicate leaking areas and negative pressure issues. Some cities offer this service for free. 

14.  Be sure to have a properly sized flue liner installed for a hot water heater if a furnace is replaced and vented out the side of the house. The water heater will no longer be able to vent on its own without the furnace and CO backup can result

Sources:

www.epa.gov

www.csia.org

www.ncsg.org

www.acca.org

www.wikipedia.com

www.coheadquarters.com

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. chimney contracting company in Kansas City, MO. She is the editor of Wood-Fired Magazine, author of The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Book and more books coming in 2016.